Hair Restoration: Separating Fact From Fiction

CHICAGO, Nov. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- From Brian Urlacher's new look to pills that promise to stimulate hair growth, hair restoration has been a big headline in 2016, triggering lots of questions from consumers about how the process really works and, more importantly, if it can work for them.

"There's a tremendous need for education about what hair restoration is and isn't. After all, more than 70 percent of men and 45 percent of women will experience hair loss during their lives," said Dr. Arthur Katona, founder of RESTORE and doctor who performed Urlacher's procedure. "For many people, balding is about more than just losing hair. It can have a huge impact on self-confidence and self-worth."

RESTORE and Dr. Katona have completed more than 10,000 procedures in his 15-year career, specializing in an advanced procedure called Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE), which uses precise equipment to safely and comfortably remove individual hair follicles from the back of the head and implant them into the balding areas, leaving a scar-free result that uses no scalpels during the outpatient procedure.

While working with patients over the years, Katona has noticed five prominent myths about hair restoration:

There is only one solution to hair loss. Medical doctors and scientists are continuously working on, and improving, oral and topical solutions for hair loss, but we haven't yet reached the point where the issue can be permanently solved with a pill or serum. For permanent results, there are multiple types of hair restoration procedures being practiced from a traditional strip method to more modern techniques, like FUE. Your decision is determined by price range, amount of hair needed and what type of look you are seeking.

You can go from completely bald to a full head of hair. No doctor in the business would recommend a total hair restoration because the results would simply look unnatural. Instead, your doctor will recommend the amount of hair to transplant based on an individual consultation and the availability of healthy hair follicles. Remember, at the end of the day, hair restoration is about giving a person the confidence in his or her own appearance, something that losing your hair can take away. It is also important to realize that the results are going to take at least a year to show.

Hair procedures are painful. With a procedure like FUE, pain is minimal. You'll receive a local anesthetic during the procedure and while there may be short-term discomfort afterwards, it will be manageable with over-the-counter ibuprofen or acetaminophen. If you choose another option, like the strip method, pain management may be more intensive, as there is cutting and stitching involved.

Hair procedure = scarring. While no doctor can promise a completely scar-free procedure, the industry has come a really long way. The FUE method has reduced scarring to an absolute minimum because the procedure and the tools are so precise and there are no scalpels used in the procedure.

You should wait until you are severely balding to take action. Actually, you should seek medical advice as soon as you notice an issue. You might not be ready for a hair transplant at that point, but the doctor could talk through the options for different preventative measures. The sooner you can make a plan to stop or reduce your hair loss, the bigger the potential you have for keeping more of your hair long term.

"You simply don't have to live with balding anymore," Katona said. "If your hair loss is really affecting you, then learn about your options and find a solution. There is no reason today's man should go without knowing the options available to them."